CARDIFF FASHION WEEK | EVENT REVIEW
Capitol Shopping Centre, Cardiff. Sat 26 Oct
The key date in Cardiff’s fashion calendar, this year, has come and gone in a series of catwalk shows that marked our city’s annual fashion week.
Bright pink signs bearing the ‘Cardiff Fashion Week’ branding littered the town, and, as the annual fashion extravaganza drew to a close Cardiff’s Capitol Centre celebrated an afternoon of fashion and frivolity.
On Sat 26 Oct Capitol hosted a day worthy of any self-respecting fashionista, with a show entitled Forgotten Fashion. The bill revealed the autumn and winter 2013/14 collections from the centre’s high fashion brands, independents and emerging designers, a like.
The Capitol’s transitory catwalk enlisted the help of volunteer models dressed top-to-toe in the designated ‘Mad-Men’ theme with pieces from the shopping centre’s retail collections and some statement jewels from an emerging e-retailer.
The era’s most significant style statements were played out in a squall of both casual and evening collections from Capitol retailers Jaeger, Hobbs and Phase Eight with shoes and bags by Moda In Pelle, jewellery by up-coming e-retailer Bijoux Bazaar and hair and make-up from in-house salon Vidal Sasoon.
The models were poised on platforms, mannequin-esque in their habiliments and 60s inspired refinery. Styled by Thomas Godsall, the dapper lads were in drapery of tailored suits, clasping umbrellas, and the ladies in sequin smothered smocks and fringed evening gowns.
Catherine Price, Store Manager at Phase Eight, told us: “We need to put Capitol Centre back on the map. The buzz used to be amazing – we want to get that back.”
Phase Eight supplied the glamour to the catwalk with their ‘Collection 8’- a parade of glittering gowns and trim tailoring, while Hobbs and Jaeger offered more solitary sixties ensembles.
Also amongst the midst was Bijoux Bazaar, an e-retailer that set up camp for one day only. They specialize in eye popping necklaces, shoulder sweeping chandeliers and delicate cocktail rings to be housed upon Cosmo clutching hands.
Bijoux Bazaar lent their sparkling statement pieces to the Capitol models, to help the Capitol regeneration and in the hope that Cardiffians might look to them as their one-stop-shop for jewels.
Owner Lucy Smith related: “I think this was a lovely showcase of what Capitol has to offer – it really shouldn’t be forgotten about. It’s also great to go out of Cardiff Fashion Week on such a high.”
words and photos: ZOE BROOKES
Info: www.capitol-shopping-centre.co.uk / www.bijouxbazaar.co.uk
